Sharing in a 117-run partnership for the 10th wicket and snaring nine wickets made for Ross Kinnerley's best ever performance for Wanganui in their comeback win over Horowhenua-Kapiti yesterday.
A superb fightback from a young batsman on debut and a complete allrounders effort from their seasoned Englishman helped Active Physio Wanganui sign off on their best representative season in years with a nine wicket win over Horowhenua-Kapiti in Levin yesterday.
Wanganui started the second day with their backs against the wall, being down to their last two wickets and still over 60 runs behind Horowhenua Kapiti's fighting first innings total of 180.
However, former Palmerston North Boys High youngster Trey Bidois, one of four schoolboys in a team playing without three key veterans, delivered a mature 79 not out from 118 balls, partnered for the 10th wicket with Ross Kinnerley (37) as they dragged Wanganui back from the brink at 125-9 to claiming first-innings points and a handy lead at 242.
Frustrated at losing the initiative, Horowhenua-Kapiti fell apart, losing five wickets before they even passed that total, as Kinnerley ran through them with six wickets off his 11 overs, well supported by Nick Harding (2-7), Bidois and allrounder Akash Gill, who had also worked well in concert with Kinnerley and Connor O'Leary when bowling on Day 1.
Wrecking the hosts for 95 in around 90 minutes, Wanganui had plenty of time to make the 34 runs required for victory, which proud captain Greg Smith and allrounder Nick Harding polished off in less than eight overs.
The fact Wanganui did not fold on Sunday morning after a horror afternoon session the day before and completely changed the tenor of the match in just a few hours is testament to a mental toughness lacking in season's past.
On Saturday, Kinnerley (3-41), O'Leary (2-19) and Harding (2-32) had Horowhenua-Kapiti immediately under pressure at 47-4, including cutting the head off the top with well regarded skipper Matt Good gone in the opening over on what would be a tough weekend for him.
The hosts' middle order of Jamie Pinfold (39) and Ben Strang (27) led the fightback, but Pinfold falling to a Craig Clare catch off John McIlraith opened the flood gates again, with Gill (2-19) introduced and having quick success.
Bailey Te Tomo (49) carried his entire lower order with him to still post a challenging total given the circumstances, before he was Kinnerley's third victim.
The bowlers had hit their marks perfectly, with wicket keeper Todd Inness the willing recipient with four caught behind catches.
Confident of batting an 80-over innings to take the match away, Wanganui struggled right out of the gate when Nick Harding fell in the first over and partner Matthew Boswell was struck an eye-watering blow in the box, eventually retiring hurt.
Smith (18) appeared comfortable to steady the ship, but in the space of a few overs Smith, Clare and the pale returning Boswell had fallen.
It was hoped the in-form Todd Inness (21) and returning Hamish Harding (16) could settle the innings, but after Carter Andrews (1-34) had pinned them down with six maiden overs, Fraser Bartholemew (4-43) and Strang (2-35) tore through them, along with McIlraith and Thomas Walshe, to leave 180 looking a lifetime away at 92-8.
"We were disappointed with our batting on day one," said coach Warren Marr yesterday.
"Through the middle order we lost our way, played a few loose shots. Guys got in and got out.
"It's not an easy surface to bat on, up and down."
But even then, Marr noted the lack of panic in the squad as Gill (19) and Bidois survived the day, and while Gill would fall to Bartholemew in the morning session, Bidois and No11 but genuine allrounder Kinnerley blunted the attack and continued to play their shots.
"We just had a quick five minute meeting afterwards [on Saturday], we were quite confident because Trey and Akash are batsmen, and Ross can bat too," said Marr after they had passed the total.
"Trey on debut has been outstanding.
"We're going for the outright win. We thought about declaring but at the moment they've spread their field wide and there's lots of ones and twos.
"Every run we get now we don't have to chase later."
Just two-and-a-half hours after that conversation, the entire match was over, as Marr said his opposing coaching staff would be ropable with their team for not re-setting and just throwing the willow at the ball, with an inspired Kinnerley not missing his length.
"We had a plan to bowl at the stumps," Marr said.
"Horowhenua- Kapiti turned up thinking they would get two wickets and when we got 60 runs ahead, you could see the body language change.
"They got over-positive. Played right into our hands.
"We knew we could get them out quickly. Mentally, they were just screwed.
"Ross, six-for, he's on the honours board again and deserved. But I think he'd share man of the match with Trey."
The outright win appears likely to lift Wanganui to a previously unthinkable third overall in the Furlong Cup zone of the Hawke Cup, having had a great season with a narrow first-innings points loss to Taranaki, dominating the rain abandoned match with Wairarapa, taking a tough but not humbled defeat to Hawkes Bay and stunning first innings points win over Manawatu.
"I never saw it coming but I'll take it," said Marr.
"I knew that we had a good bunch of guys, the concern was were we getting enough cricket out of our club cricket.
"Remember, we haven't had one guy in the CD [Central Districts] set up or even the CD A's.
"It's more to do with the culture of the group. The guys enjoy each other's successes and play for each other."
Skipper Smith said the negativity he had felt in the dressing room since coming over from England two seasons ago had dissipated this summer.
"We feel a different energy. We held our own with everybody.
"You say not looking good [on Saturday], but we had faith - Trey had it in the locker.
"With that momentum, you could tell [Horowhenua-Kapiti] were drained.
"I'm proud of the boys, it's been a brilliant season."
Scoreboard
Horowhenua-Kapiti 1st Innings
M Good ct T Inness b R Kinnerley 0
A Simonson ct T Inness b C O'Leary 23
A Halbert ct T Inness b N Harding 10
T McGrath ct M Boswell b A Gill 0
J Pinfold ct C Clare b J McIlraith 39
B Strang lbw C O'Leary 27
B Te Tomo ct M Boswell b R Kinnerley 49
R Subasinghe b A Gill 0
C Andrews ct M Boswell b R Kinnerley 13
F Bartholemew ct T Inness b N Harding 7
L Pinfold not out 0
Extras: 12
Total 180 in 62.1 overs
Bowling: R Kinnerley 15.1 overs, 3 maidens, 41 runs, 3 wickets; N Harding 12-2-32-2; A Gill 10-2-19-2; C O'Leary 10-1-31-2; T Bidois 13-1-42-0; J McIlraith 2-0-9-1.
Wanganui 1st Innings
N Harding b F Bartholemew 0
M Boswell ct M Good b C Andrews 13
G Smith b R Subasinghe 18
C Clare lbw L Pinfold 3
T Inness ct B Strang b F Bartholemew 21
H Harding ct M Good b F Bartholemew 16
J McIlraith b B Strang 3
A Gill c M Good b R Subasinghe 19
T Walshe c A Simonson b B Strang 0
T Bidois not out 79
R Kinnerley lbw F Bartholemew 37
Extras: 33
Total: 242 in 80.1 overs.
Bowling: F Bartholemew 17.1-5-43-4; C Andrews 15.0-6-34-1; R Subasinghe 17-5-47-2; L Pinfold 10-2-29-1; C Beleski 7-1-25-0; B Strang 10-3-35-2; T McGrath 4-0-10-0.
Horowhenua-Kapiti 2nd Innings
M Good ct T Inness b R Kinnerley 2
A Halbert b A Gill 7
T McGrath b R Kinnerley 17
J Pinfold lbw R Kinnerley 27
B Strang lbw R Kinnerley 10
B Te Tomo ct T Inness b N Harding 2
A Simonson ct T Inness b N Harding 1
C Andrews ct A Gill b T Bidouis 7
R Subasinghe not out 2
F Bartholemew bt R Kinnerley 3
L Pinfold b R Kinnerley 7
Extras: 10
Total 95 off 22.0 overs.
Bowling: R Kinnerley 11-0-41-6; A Gill 5-0-38-1; N Harding 3-1-7-2; T Bidois 3-1-7-1.
Wanganui 2nd Innings
M Boswell ct J Pinfold b F Bartholemew 0
N Harding not out 11
G Smith not out 16
Extras: 7
Total: 34-1 in 7.4 overs.
Bowling: F Bartholemew 4-1-12-1; L Pinfold 3-1-11-0; B Strang 0.4-0-4-0.
Result: Wanganui win by nine wickets